The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-03-25
THURSDAY
/: March oath.
FUNERAL REFORM.

The subject OF funeral reform from
time to time engages the attention OF
the public in England and America.
The cost and extravaganza of burials,
together with the inevitable accompani-
1nent of fashionable mourning, very fire.
quently steep families of moderate means
in debt for years. And for what pur-
pose? Why should a costly display
over the burial of the dead, who can
neither enjoy nor appreciate the compli-
ment, entail misery and suffering upon
the living? If there be any parade,
without justification or excuse, it is
modern funeral. The display is usually
in bad taste, but it is submitted to
because it is fashionable.
In the United States this practice is
carried to an extreme, but other coun-
tries are not far behind it. Funeral re-
form has many influential supporters il
England. The Duke of Westminster
one of the richest peers of England, not
very long ago lost his eldest son and
heir by death, and the funeral was of
the simplest kind, the family of the de-
ceased nobleman and tenants following
the hearse on foot, the coffin being of
plain deal without ornaments. This
example strengthened the funeral reform
movement in Great Britain, where a de
cided attempt has also been made by
ladies to throw off the tyranny of fashion
in mourning.
The late Henry Ward Beecher was
strong opponent of post-mortem display
of any kind, and upon his death his fam
lily carried out his wishes in this respect
with csmmendable fidelity. A wreath Of
brilliant flowers was hung upon the door
of his residence instead of the usual
sombre badge of death. Within its por-
tails everything was bright and cheerful.
The coffin rested in the center of the
front parlor and was surrounded with
banks of fragrant flowers. Sweet per-
fume pervaded the air and on all sides
could be seen floral emblems from
friends and admirers of the dead divine
The remains were dressed in suit of
black broadcloth, with the frock coat
buttoned up and the right hand laid
across the heart. So much for the
corpse. Now for a description OF the
family of the deceased. The report |
says:
Only the members of the family and a
few intimate friends were present DURING |
the funeral services at the house. None of +
the family were dressed in black. Mrs /
Beecher sat near the remains during the |
reading OF the service, and by her side
were her sons and daughters and the mem
bers of their families. A few minutes be-
fore the remains were carried out of the !
house to the hearse the rain ceased, the
clouds passed away and the sunshine burst
out bright and clear.
Tonight the Beecher residence was bril-
liantly lighted and everything around the
house was made bright as possible. Mrs
Beecher had been in her late husbands
room the greater portion of the afternoon.
looking at his papers. The members of
the family were dressed in bright clothing,
as though going to church on Sunday, and
everything around was made as bright and
cheerful as possible, in accordance with the
often-expressed wish of Mr.. Beecher in case
of his death. Hundreds of people called
during the DAY ana leIG Inelr cafuS, lncIud-
ing Henry George and Rev. DR.. McGlynn.
An this is rational and natural. 1t is
an example which no doubt will be fol-
lowed by people of fortune and social in
fuence in the States, and in this way
great deal of practical good may be ac-
complished. AS we said at the outset,
there is no display SO useless or SO mex
cusable as an ostentatious parade of
mourning at funerals. There are, of
course, exceptions when public APP
probation of the character and achieve
ments of the deceased is eminently
proper. But such occasions are few and
far between. Better far initiate the
simpler and more natural style of burial
and mourning above noted than the less
natural, inartistic, and far the more costly
display which fashion has prescribed as
! fitting emblem and accompaniment of
grief. !